Lowering the Bar: 5 Places to Drink for Cheap (or Free) This Week

Each week, we bring you our top picks for the best places to booze on the cheap in SF.

1. National Margarita Day at Maya: Tuesday marks National Margarita Day, and while we may not understand the logic behind celebrating a summery drink in February, we can certainly get behind drinking said drink on the cheap. If you follow Maya on Facebook or Twitter, and display the evidence on a printout or smartphone, your margaritas are $5 all day. That evening is another installment of their popular Tequila Tuesday: $10 gets you three large samples of tequila, a margarita, and bar bites like tacos and guac. They recommend reservations for the latter event. (Tuesday, February 22, margaritas 11:30 am-2 pm and 4:30-10 pm, Tequila Tuesday at 6:30 pm, at Maya, 303 2nd St., SOMA.)

2. The Spirit of El Salvador: 7x7 is one of the sponsors of an El Salvador-themed party at SOM., complete with $2 Salvadorean beers and $3 specialty rum cocktails. Balompié will be offering their famed pupusas while a DJ spins. A few lucky readers will also get to attend a VIP pre-party with selected free drinks; e-mail us to get on the list (space is limited). (Wednesday, February 23, VIPs 6-7, general public 7-8:30, at SOM., 2925 16th St., Mission.)

3. SF Barworkers' Ball: Bar employees like cheap drinks, too, so Bender's is hosting an annual winter party for them on Monday, their night off. If you work in the service industry, swing by for drink specials-- we don't have the exact details on what they're offering yet, but we're told it will be either gratis or very inexpensive. They'll also have DJs and contests going. (Monday, February 21, 8 pm-2 am, at Bender's, 806 South Van Ness Ave., Mission.)

4. Otis Lounge Beer Tasting Party: Oregon's BridgePort Brewing Company is introducing two new brews, Cafe Negro and Kingpin, and they're throwing a Beer Week bash to celebrate. Samples of the new brews will be available on the cheap, and Bi-Rite butcher and charcuterie expert Morgan Maki will be providing free snacks. RSVP here. (Friday, February 18, 6-9 pm, at Otis Lounge, 25 Maiden Lane, Union Square.)

5. Booze and Brew Brawl: To wrap up SF Beer Week, 15 Romolo is gathering some of the city's best bartenders for a beer-cocktail battle royale. RSVP here to get on the list, which entitles you to samples from such stalwarts as Bourbon & Branch, Comstock Saloon, and Smuggler's Cove. If you have a particular favorite among the drinks, you can purchase it separately in a full-sized version. (Sunday, February 20, 9 pm-12 am, at 15 Romolo, 15 Romolo Pl., North Beach.)